Mower



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. RYAN.

MOWER. I No. 415,369. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A. RYAN.

MOWER. No. 415,369. Patented Nov. 19, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR RYAN, OF OOLBERGEN, NEBRASKA.

MOWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,369, dated November 19,1889.

Application filed May 11, 1889.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR RYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colbergen, in the county of Pierce and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Mower, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mowers; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a mower constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof, and Fig. i is a transverse section of the cutting apparatus.

The frame A is of the usual orany preferred construction, and the carrying and driving wheels B are mounted on an axle C, mounted in the rear portion of the frame. In advance of the axle O, I journal in suitable bearings on the side bars of the frame a transverse shaft D, having a crank-arm E and the balance-wheel F near one end and having a sprocket-pinion G loosely mounted near its opposite end. This sprocket-pinion Gis connected by means of a sprocket-chain H with a sprocket-wheel I, secured rigidly on the axle, so that the motion of the axle will be communicated directly to the crank-shaft. The sprocket-pinion G on the crank-shaft is provided with a series of teeth or notches on one side, and the said teeth or notches are engaged by similar teeth or notches on a slidin g half-clutch J, which is keyed on the crankshaft. This half-clutch is operated by means of a lever K, having a forked lower end engaging the half-clutcn and fulcrumed on a casting L, secured on the main frame.

Near the front end of the main frame I secure the transverse supporting-bar M, and in the said bar and an arm N, secured on the main frame, I secure a vertical rod or pin 0. A vibratory crank-disk P is mounted on this pin 0, and is connected with the crank-shaft by a pitman Q, having its rear end engaging the crank-arm of said shaft and its front end pivoted to a stud or pin R on the upper side of the crank-disk. To the under side of the crank-disk, at diametrically-opposite points, I pivot the inner ends of the pitmen S, the

Serial No. 310,448. (No model.)

outer ends of said pitmen being pivoted to the mowing-knives.

The cutting apparatus consists of the finger-bar T, having the shoes U U secured to its ends and provided in its upper side with a longitudinal groove V, which receives a longitudinal rib on the under side of the lower knife, and thereby guides the said knife in its movements. The upper knife X rests directly on the lower knife, and is pfovided on its upper side with the longitudinal rib Y, which is engaged by the guard-fingers Z, secured 011 the finger-bar and projecting forward over the knife. The inner pitman S is connected to the lower knife, while the outer or front pitman is connected to the upper knife, and in operation the knives reciprocate in contrary directions, so as to have a shearing action on the grass or grain and thereby cut the same rapidly and easily. The cutting apparatus is held in its proper p0sition by a coupling-bar a, having its inner end hinged to the side bar of the frame and its outer end hinged to the inner shoe of the cutting apparatus. This bar maintains the cutting apparatus in its proper position relative to the frame, and yet allows it to be swung up into a vertical position close to the frame when not in use. The cutting apparatus is raised to this vertical position by means of a lever 19, fulcrumed on the main frame and connected with the finger-bar by means of a chain c, as shown. The levers b and K are arranged within convenient reach of the driver, and the lever b is held in its lowered position, so as to prevent the undue lowering of the cutting apparatus, by a pawl d, pivoted on the main frame and provided with a notch e in its outer end, adapted to engage the said lever. When the said lever 19 is lowered, the pawl is swung outward, so as to engage the same, and will eifectually prevent its rising. When it is desired to lower the cutting apparatus, the pawl is swung inward and the le ver can then be easily raised.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple and efficient mower, and the operation and advantages of the same will, it is thought, be readily understood. The machine is drawn over the ground in the usual manner and the knives will be reciprocated by the mechanism before described so as to. cut the grass or grain. As the machine is drawn forward the driving-wheel will rotate the crank shaft through the medium of the sprocket-wheel and pinion and the chain connecting the same, and the motion of the crank-shaft will be imparted directly to the crank-disk through the pitman Q, so as to vibrate the said disk in a horizontal plane. The pitmen S will thus be caused -to move alternately in opposite directions and the knives of the cutting apparatus consequently reciprocated. The guard-fingers and the groove in the upper side of the cutter-bar guide the knives in their movements, so that they will be prevented from twisting and bending, and the operation of the machine is thereby rendered easier and the duration of theknivesincreased. When the mowing has been completed, the cutting apparatus is raised by means of the lever 17 in the-manner described, the sliding half-clutch is disengaged from the sprocket-pinion, and the machine'is then drawn over the ground to another field or to the barn. The half-clutch being disengaged from the sprocket-pinion, the cutting-knives will not be operated, and undue wear on the same will be thereby prevented. By employing the balance-wheel on the crank-shaft an even steady motion is imparted to the gearing, and by the provision of the horizontally-arranged 'c,rank-di'sk I dispense with the necessity of a complicated arrangement of gearing, which is liable to get out of order and increases the Weight of the machine.

My improved machine is composed of very few parts, which are simple in their construction and are free of all complicated combinations and arrangements, so that the Weight of the machine is reduced to a minimum and the draft on the team consequently considerably lessened.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

The combination of the main frame, the axle mounted thereon, the sprocket-wheel secured rigidly on the axle, the crank-shaft mounted transversely on the frame in ad Vance of the axle, the sprocket-Wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, the sliding half-clutch keyed on the said shaft and adapted to engage the sprocket-wheel, the chain connecting the sprocket-wheels, the bar M near the front end of the frame, the arm N on the frame above the said bar the vertical pin 0, mounted between said bar and arm, the horizontally-arranged crank-disk on said pin 0, the pitman connecting said disk with the crank-shaft, the parallel cutter-bars, and the pitmen pivoted to the cutter-bars and to the crank-disk, as set forth.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my ownI have hereto afliXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR RYAN.

Vi tn e'sses:

BENJ. LINDSAY, T. A. HARNEY. 

